Roundup: Italians go to polls in crucial constitutional referendum

Italians were going to the polls on Sunday to vote on a crucial constitutional referendum that might deeply reshape the country's profile and legislature, or pose a government crisis for Prime Minister Matteo Renzi.

In Pontassieve polling station near Florence where Renzi used to be the mayor, many voters cast their ballots with Yes. But 26-year Davide said he would choose No because the proposed constitutional changes already confused many ordinary people and possible changes might lead to worse situation that had worried many voters.

Besides the proposed changes to the constitution, the event might have a broader political impact, since the future of Prime Minister Matteo Renzi's cabinet much depends on its outcome.

Renzi has in fact staked his own political future on the approval of the reform, and a defeat of the referendum might trigger his resignation, and the fall of the government.

Some 46.7 million citizens were eligible to vote on Sunday. Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time, and would be closed at 11 p.m. Some 3.9 million Italian voters living abroad could also take part in the poll earlier this month.

The constitutional reform has already been passed by the parliament, but did not obtain qualified majorities for it to become laws. Therefore the citizens' final response, through a referendum, will be definitive according to the rule of constitution. They will have two options: to confirm it, or repel it, as a whole.

Most significant changes would concern the law-making process, the parliament composition, and the balance of power between central state and regions in topics like public health, infrastructures and major transports, environment, and energy.

If the reform is confirmed, the Italian senate will be demoted into a smaller assembly in charge of regional affairs, and its seats will be cut from 315 to 100 -- of which 95 elected, and five nominated by the president of the Republic. Endit